I've just returned from my journey to
that beautiful (and hot!) California.Pardon me for not writing "We just returned", but
sometimes it is a little bit too difficult to put the impressions of my wife and
me into one sentence.To me it was a journey back into the Past. For my dear wife everything was
excitinglynew.

It was a great journey and I enjoyed every day.
Friends warned me:
"Don't go back, things will have changed and you'llbe
disappointed."
No, I didn't go back expecting to find everything justas
it was in the ol' days 34 yeas ago.I'm living in this world, and am not yet dreamingsomewhere up in the stars.

When we arrived at L.A. Airport on the
first day of May, there was a strange feeling of not being welcome. We had
to wait almost an hour to pass the immigration staff and customs.
And the crazy traffic in front of the airport didn't ease
that grumbling feeling in my stomach.

But after renting a car and driving a
couple of miles, I felt almost at home.
Now my wife tells her friends at home in Germany about my driving: " Kurt
drove and found his way, just like he has been away from California
only for three years."
I myself felt like a bird, knowing the directions to fly but wondering why
things looked different as I had them in my memory.

I found every place I have been.
With one exemption: Morrison Machine Company, where I found my first job
in 1960, was covered up by a new freeway.

I even found two people I have met, when
they were just kids: The son and the daughter of my latest boss in 1966
(Mr. J. L. Pauly).
I have to admit, I forgot their names and I wouldn't have recognized them
on the street. But seeing them behind their office desk, I could
easily recognize Chris (even if I had to ask him for his name). But I
didn't recognize his sister at all.
There was no similarity between that skinny girl in 1966 and that
beautiful lady I found. Maybe that change was the reason I forgot to ask for her Christian Name.
And please, dear Lady Pauly, if you read these lines, don't get mad at me
saying "skinny".
But when I was a young lad, my friends at the company of your father had a
hard job, trying to get my eyes opened to the pretty girls of California.
Otherwise I probably would have got stuck in that Sunshine-Country.

Highlights:

Even though no one answered my letters and
e-mails prior to my journey, I really found two People I had known as
Kids!

The servants, especially in restaurants, are
as courteous and helpful as I have ever found in any country.

It was an easy-driving in California
traffic.
It is not only that streets are wide and have plenty of lanes to get ahead
at, it is that any bigger road that is crossing shows a sign up between
thelightning poles with its street-name.
You always know where you are.

And they are doing something for their bicycle-riders.
It is not even that there are marked "BIKE"-Lanes on the road. But it is
the way how they are locatedbetween the
PARKING-Lane and the running traffic.
Bikers are always in sight of cardrivers and their space will not be used
for parking (as is done in Germany!).
But that is not all. I've seen plenty of busses with a bike-rack up in
front. Only, where are the bikes? I didn't see any.

The song "It never rains in Southern California" told
the truth. During our three-week-visit, there were only two rainy days
just about 75 miles south of Sacramento.

On our journey we have seen the amazingSequoia-Trees on our way through Sequoia-, Yosemite- and
Kings-Canyon National Park, the Cable-Cars
of San Francisco, the snow of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Las
Vegas in Nevada and sundown and sunrise at Grand Canyon
in
Arizona.

We could feel the snow in the Sierra Nevada Mountains
and smell the heat of the dessert in Gila Bend.

We have seen part of San Diego in California and
Tijuana in Mexico.

It was the most remarkable journey
in my life.

I don't intend to bore you with a detailed description of our journey.
If you like to get more information just give me a hint via e-mail.

Both pictures were taken in the 60-ies. I met this little Boy Chris again as a
grownup man on my journey (left picture).
But does Anybody know anything about those two Fellows on the right
picture?It shows Many Friedman and José Miranda on their workbench at Jay-El
Products in Gardena. ??? ??? ??? If you know anything about one of them,
please drop me a line!!!

These were some of the dear people, who
have touched my life in California from 1960 to 1966:Bill Gibson and Ron Ouse, Mary Chiara, Mr. J. L. Pauly and Many Friedman and
Jose Miranda (Jay-El Products), Elmar W. Potratz and Bill Ralston (Morrison
Machine Inc.)

Hello Friends!

Please don't forget to tell
me how You managed to find my Site
If you are irritated about that
English and German mix on my Site, just stay at those
California Pages please. But I would like to invite You too to my German Pages: You might learn some
German for a better understanding between our countries.